Universities must guide student morals
I recently read the article “Some things shouldn’t be taught by school,”(May 14) where Connor Fitzpatrick discussed the responsibility of the university in the social and moral formation of its students.
He stated: “It’s not the university that should be preaching moral and social guidance.” My question is, “Why not?” Shouldn’t the university as an institution offer some social and moral guidance to its students?
Let us consider what it means to be a Bruin. When someone decides to be a Bruin, the student commits to “integrity, excellence, accountability and respect.” The student pledges: “As a Bruin, I commit myself to the highest ethical standards.” If these ethical standards (including social and moral responsibilities) are not discussed both inside and outside of classrooms, the likelihood of fulfilling this pledge is slim.
Private campus organizations are beneficial for exploring various points of view, but they should not replace the ethics taught by the university.
Teaching ethical responsibilities in classrooms does not limit the freedom students have to choose their personal position. It is hard to believe that university students blindly accept everything their professors say.
Furthermore, teaching social and moral responsibilities in classrooms would inform and challenge students’ current ethical standards. When standards are challenged, they are strengthened or replaced by better ones. In either case, the students are more informed and therefore more confident in their position.
Regarding the socially and morally lazy, the ethical responsibilities taught in classrooms will not faze them.
Karina Roliz
Third-year, linguistics and philosophy
Faith is needed for a healthy marriage
Writer Kate Stanhope criticized Hollywood’s portrayal of marriage as a happy, permanent thing. (“Happy marriages only exist in movies,” Arts and Entertainment, May 14). “With an approximate 50 percent divorce rate, why is the movie capital of the world still holding something sacred its audiences hardly take seriously?” While this is true for the nonreligious, churchgoing Christians keep the romance of marriage alive today. And, as a sociological group, we have a good time in bed while doing it.
“Church people?!” you may ask. Yes, my friend, church people.
Despite many rumors about our being just as terrible at this whole marriage thing as anybody else, we actually do pretty well, comparatively. According to the Christian Post, only 33 percent of churchgoing Christians who were married experienced a divorce, compared to the 50 percent national divorce rate.
As with all sociological statistics, one must be very carefully about implying causation. These statistics do not prove that being Christian causes good sex; they’re just correlated.
The stats don’t say why, but they do imply that we do something different, both in our marriages and in our bedrooms. You (and your partner) would benefit to find out what it is.
David Carreon
Fourth-year, civil engineering
Work for gay rights still necessary
In a historic vote of 4-3, the California Supreme Court ruled against a ban on gay marriage, making it legal for all Californians to marry.
The Bruin Democrats applaud the California Supreme Court for its historic decision. The court has shown tremendous foresight, good judgment and fairness in its ruling.
The Bruin Democrats would also like to thank and congratulate the many brave individuals who have fought so hard to make marriage equality a possibility. This is an important victory for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and an important victory for the citizens of California.
But, there are still those who would deny marriage equality from all Californians. A proposition on the November ballot threatens to overturn the court ruling and make a ban on gay marriage in the California constitution. UCLA students must take a stand for equality and justice and vote this November to protect marriage equality.
Brandon Harrison
Internal vice president, Bruin Democrats